A control panel allows the customers of a web hosting company to manage much of their own affairs. For example, the control panel allows the owner of a domain to create and manipulate email and ftp accounts. The customer gets to do things quicker and without having to pay the hosting company for stuff they could do themselves.

The two big non free control panals are cpanel and plesk

There are quite a few software libre panels:

AlternC

License

GPL

Packages

deb:yes rpm:no tarball:no

multi-server support

No

Links

Homepage Demo docs

Install requires:

apache, Linux, mysql (?)

Servers managed

apache, bind, courier, postfix,mysql, mailman

customers can:

add/remove email accounts, change dns, create databases (??)

hosting company can:

as above, add/remove customers (??)

Short notes

much of documentation is french only

ASM (Account Services Manager)

License

GPL

Packages

deb:no rpm:yes tarball:yes

multi-server support

No

Links

Homepage docs

Install requires:

All BSD Platforms (FreeBSD/NetBSD/OpenBSD/Apple Mac OS X), All POSIX (Linux/BSD/UNIX-like OSes), Linux, Solaris

Servers managed

FTP, POP3, MySql, awstats

customers can:

manage subdomains and password protected folders

hosting company can:

add users, domains

Short notes

current version is .94 Expected Release of .95 is February 14, 2002

Baifox

License

GPL

Packages

deb:no rpm:no tarball:yes

multi-server support

Not Sure Yet(check back in a few days)

Links

Homepage docs

servers managed

apache, awstats, banthwidth, bind, cron, MySql, logrotate, PureFTPd, Vpopmail

Install requires

Linux, PHP, apache (1.3 recommended)

customers can:

create/edit subdomains

hosting company can:

Create databases, users w/permissions, awstats for every domain, individual virtualhost files for ever website

Short notes

Uses pureftpd (not proftpd) Current release is of Baifox is: 0.8.6.1 (May 3rd, 2006)

BasHCP

License

GPL

Packages

deb:no rpm:no tarball:no

multi-server support

No

Links

Homepage documentation

servers managed

apache, proftpd, mysql

Install requires

Clean Debian Etch

customers can:

add/delete sub domains, add/delete databases, add/delete FTP users

hosting company can:

create users, manage configuration

Short notes

Still very alpha-ish, is distributed in ZIP file

DTC (Domain Technologie Control)

License

GPL

Packages

deb:yes (included in Debian) rpm:yes tarball:yes

multi-server support

No, but can run in clustered environment and can manage an unlimited amount of Xen servers remotly

Links

Homepage demo docs

servers managed

bind/other, apache 1.3 or 2, postfix 2, qmail, dovecot, courier, cyrus, amavis, clamav, spamassassin, pure-ftpd, proftpd, mysql, ncftp, nssmysql, etc. Full Software Compatability List

Install requires

Any Debian flavor (from Stable to Unstable), understands, uses and configures about 150 debian packages Detailed howto

customers can:

create email, subdomains, ssh and FTP accounts, mailing lists, mx & txt entries for owned domains. Stop, start, reinstall, fsck a Xen VPS (virtual private server). Instant account activation using Paypal or eNETS.

hosting company can:

Create hosting packs, create domains, manage support tickets, and have configuration updated for both apache, bind and postfix, etc. simultaneously, do automated backups for shared hosting accounts, backup NS & MX, and many more.

Documentation

Poor

Short notes

DTC is the only control panel that is currently included in Debian (testing and SID, as of writing)

Freeside

License

GPL

Packages

deb:no rpm:no tarball:yes

multi-server support

No

Links

Homepage (user:guest pass:guest) docs Freeside Internal Wiki demo (user:guest pass:guest

servers managed

vpopmail, dovecot, Courier SQL, Cyrus, Communigate Pro, Critical Path, ?InfoStreet, Top Email, Everyone.net, PostgreSQL 7.x/8.x, LDAP RADIUS/SQL/text backend server,

Install requires

Linux/Unix

customers can:

customer service, public web server administration, real-time signup page

hosting company can:

have real-time credit processing

Short notes

May 22 2006: 1.5.8 released *MySql currently not supported* Billing/Ticketing Oriented, Offers Installation and preinstalled appliances

Fusion

License

GPL

Packages

Not Yet Released

multi-server support

N/A

Links

Homepage

servers managed

N/A

Install requires

Multiplatform (Linux)

customers can:

N/A

hosting company can:

N/A

short notes

ajax

GNU Hosting Helper

License

GPL

Packages

deb:yes rpm:yes tarball:yes

multi-server support

Yes

Links

Homepage Demo Installation docs Mailing Lists for Support

servers managed

Apache 1.3x, 2x Sendmail, Postfix, Postfix/MySQL VMS, Most FPTD's, BIND 8x & BIND 9x, MyDNS, MySQL 3x/4.0.x

Install requires

Linux/Unix Perl Module Requirements

customers can:

add/remove subdomain, email management (users/pass etc)

hosting company can:

add/remove DNS zone, email access file, virtual host configuration file

Short notes

Current Release of GNUHH: 2.04

GNUPanel

License

GPL

Packages

deb:no rpm:no tarball:yes

multi-server support

no

Links

Homepage Users Demo Reseller Demo Admin Demo Mail Panel Demo Installation doc

servers managed

Apache 2.x, Postfix/PostgreSQL, Proftpd, PowerDNS, MySQL 5.0, PostgreSQL 8.1, Mailman, Courier-POP, Courier-IMAP, Squirrelmail, PHPpgadmin, PHPmyadmin.

Install requires

Debian GNU/Linux 4.0 (Etch)

customers can:

Add/remove subdomain, email management (users/pass), auto responders, ftp management (users/pass), PostgreSQL and MySQL management, parked domains, directories protection, support tickets, english, spanish and french languages, Paypal, Dineromail and Cuentadigital payments support. Sets an editable default size of 10 MB for mail accounts and sends a warning when this limit is close. The panel do not take any action but the domain administrator will be notified. An historical file for web space and bandwidth consumption, The chance to edit the SPF record for each domain has been added. Also users will be able to receive mails sent to parked domains. Backup tool, the posibility to set tipical values for the server_encoding variable in new PostgreSQL databases, the posibility to choose different values for the ?AddDefaulCharset variable in Apache for each subdomain, installers for Joomla, phpBB, osCommerce, Wordpress, xoops, phpwcms and smf for all customers accounts.

hosting company can:

Add users, domains, bandwidth and disk space control, billing support, technical support ticketing, activate or deactivate in each subdomain PHP directives like safe_mode and register_globals.

Short notes

NAT and SSL support. Current Release of GNUPanel: 0.2.3

host4net

License

GPL status not secure

Packages

Not Yet Released

multi-server support

No, but supports clustering

Links

Homepage docs

servers managed

N/A

Install requires

N/A

customers can:

N/A

hosting company can:

config user management, billing support, technical support ticketing

Short notes

Based on ?WebMin. To be available as Module/Standalone but currently only a module. not yet released (currently in beta) , supports ?PayPal, 2Checkout, Western Union and Wire Transfer

ISPConfig

License:

BSD

Packages

deb:no rpm:no tarball:yes

multi-server support

No

Links

Homepage docs Admin Manual

servers managed

apache, bind, proftp/vsftpd, procmail

Install requires

apache, sendmail/postfix, Quota pkg, PHP 4.0.5 apache mod, MySQL database, gnu-pop3d or similar, OpenSSL and mod_ssl for virtual hosts, Bind (8/9), iptables/ipchains

customers can:

change mailbox settings (password, spam filter, etc), create/administrate subdomains and MySQL data, SSL

hosting company can:

create database backups, edit/create DNS entries

Documentation

Good

Short notes

3 Level Setup: Admin, Reseller, and Webmaster

ISPMan

License

GPL

Packages

deb:no rpm:no tarball:yes

multi-server support

Yes

Links

Homepage docs 3rd party docs updated on April 26, 2004

servers managed

apache, postfix, bind

Install requires:

Linux, BIND 9(2), Postfix 2.x(2), IMAP/POP3, Apache 2, OpenLDAP(2), Horde/IMP, Pureftpd, Perdition(2)

customers can:

manage domain, read mails, setup forwarding, filtering, auto-responding

hosting company can:

manage domain users, DNS, Vhosts, Mailing lists, Access control

Short notes

Typical use is 2 front-end, 2 back-end, 1 Spam/virus filter host, 1 management host. LDAP may be used as backend, Latest binary Oct 9, 2005

phpQLAdmin

License

GPL

Packages

deb:yes rpm:no tarball:yes

multi-server support

Yes

Links

Homepage

servers managed

QmailLDAP, QmailLDAP/Controls, Apache 1.3, Bind 9, ?SimScan, Ezmlm, Automounts

Install requires:

PHP

customers can:

Manage (email/shell) accounts, dns, email forwarding and autoreplies, spam filtering, mailing lists, MX pointers for owned domains, change passwords etc

hosting company can:

Setup new customers and physical machines for mail/web

Short notes

Requires an (Open)LDAP database and is mainly for QmailLDAP, but should work with ANY mailserver with LDAP support. Require libapache-mod-ldapcfg for Apache LDAP support

QmailAdmin

License

GPL

Packages

deb:no rpm:no tarball: yes

multi-server support

No

Links

QmailAdmin Help Documents tarball

servers managed

IMAP, POP3

Install requires:

vpopmail 5.4.0 or later

customers can:

Change password, setup forwarding. IMAP, POP3, and (Squirrelmail)webmail access

hosting company can:

Administer Email and Mailing Lists

Short notes

Qmail is a Web control panel for the administration of qmail/vpopmail-based POP, IMAP, LDAP, or Web mail accounts, forwarding, aliases, autoresponders, and mailing lists Latest Release 1.2.1:June 25, 2004

RAQDevil

license

claims to be BSD like

Packages

deb:no rpm:no tarball: yes

multi-server support

Info coming soon...

Links

Homepage BlueQuartz(Fedora Version) Homepage docs

servers managed

SNTP, DNS, FTP, SSL

Install requires:

FreeBSD 6.0 or later, 4 GB of disk space, atleast 128 MB RAM

customers can:

change mail password, set mail forwarding

hosting company can:

manages system users, Web sites, email, DNS

short notes

Based on Sun Cobalt ?RaQ550,runs on BSD and (?BlueQuartz)Fedora, NOT MEANT for systems already serving data for multiple virtual sites. Not yet available in the FreeBSD ports collection, see installation page

Ravencore

License

GPL

Packages

deb:no rpm:yes tarball:yes

multi-server support

Info coming soon

Links

Homepage demo Install Guide

servers managed

apache, bind, dovecot, postfix, clamd, spamassassin, vsftpd, proftpd, awstats

Install requires:

Linux, or any web browser (lynx, any text based), can also be used from PDA's with web capabilities

customers can:

check email, change password, redirect, forward

hosting company can:

edit domains, users, mail accounts, databases, DNS, and system settings

Short notes

Version 0.1.5 Released (4/15/06) , demo inaccessible as of 6/19/06

Syscp

License

GPL

Packages

deb:yes rpm:no tarball:yes

multi-server support

No

Links

Homepage Syscp Documentation demo

servers managed

apache, bind, courier, postfix, proftpd, crond

Install requires:

Debian, see documentation for other flavors of Linux

customers can:

manage email accounts/forwarding/passwords, subdomains, passwd protected dirs, webmail, language

hosting company can:

Add Customers, Domains, Admins, view FTP/WEB usage

Documentation:

Average

Short notes

Tequila

License

hard to tell

Packages

deb:no rpm:no tarball:yes

multi-server support

Info coming soon

Links

Homepage docs

servers managed

postfix w/Vm-pop3d , postfix w/Cyrus, or postfix w/Courier

Install requires:

Perl, Postfix, Vmpop3d/qpopper, Cyrus-Imap, Cyrus-Sasl, Courier-Imap, OpenLDAP NOTE: Debian users must install libdb3-dev package to prevent Tequila from making unreadable DB files!!!

customers can:

manage email aliases, vacation/forwarding, passwords, language

hosting company can:

create/edit/remove virtual mail domains, create/edit/remove POP/IMAP mail accounts, virtual domain administration assigned to different admins, SASL acct/passwd in sync with Tequila accts

Short notes

Only supports one domain per Tequla Server

Usermin

License

BSD

Packages

deb:yes rpm:yes tarball:yes

multi-server support

No

Links

Homepage docs

servers managed

SSH/telnet, postfix, spamassassin

Install requires:

Perl 5

customers can:

upload/download files from remote urls, email checking/forwarding, edit plan file, edit personal user details

hosting company can:

run shell commands, kill processes, view user's quota, edit user owned cron files, edit user details

Short notes

Demo not working as of 6/22/06 (webmin demo?)

VHCS

License

Mozilla Public License 1.1 (MPL 1.1)

Packages

deb:yes rpm:yes tarball:yes

multi-server support

Information coming soon...

Links

Homepage demo docs config from source config from apt-get

servers managed

proftpd, apache, postfix, BIND, courier

Install requires:

postfix(ver 2+), proFTPd, apache(ver 2+), Courier POP3 & IMAP, BIND9, MySQL(ver 4+), iptables

customers can:

manage domain, email/webmail, ftp, statistics, change personal data, language, customize menus, webtools with filemanager, backup/restore settings, customize error pages

hosting company can:

manage users, view server/web statistics, manage ftp accounts, domain aliases, subdomains, SQL databases, SQL users

Short notes

LDAP supported (with some mild modifications) Forum Discussion on using LDAP

VHFFS

License

GPL

Packages

deb:not yet rpm:no tarball:yes

multi-server support

Yes

Links

Homepage

Install requires:

Apache, Linux, postgresql

Servers managed

apache, mydns, courier, exim4, mysql, listengine, postgresql, cvs, subversion, pure-ftpd

customers can:

add/remove email accounts, change dns, create databases, create repository, create webspaces, create groups

Documentation:

Poor

Short notes

Translated in several languages, developement still active

vhost

License

GPL

Packages

deb:no rpm:no tarball:yes

multi-server support

No

Links

vhost docs demo

servers managed

HTTP, FTP, SMTP, POP3, IMAP

Install requires:

perl and gcc, php4 for webGUI Apache (v1.3 or later), Wu-ftpd, ProFTPD, sendmail

customers can:

setup email, ftp for owned domains/subdomains

hosting company can:

administer domains, create users/domains/subdomains

Short notes

Future NIS/LDAP Support is on their todo list (meaning not yet!), demo is not working as of 6/20/06

Virtualmin

License

dual: closed & GPL

Packages

deb:yes rpm:no tarball:no

multi-server support

No, but has cluster support

Links

Homepage docs demo

servers managed

proftpd, BIND, postfix, MySQL

Install requires:

yum, up2date, or urpmi on RPM-based systems, or apt on Debian systems

customers can:

administer their own domains, setup aliases, read mail, etc

hosting company can:

Edit DNS, Virtual Servers, Mail/FTP users, Databases, Install scripts, Server maintenance(start/stop)

Short notes

apt-cache show webmin-virtual-server (Used in conjunction with webmin.)

Web-CP

License

GPL

Packages

deb:no rpm:no tarball:yes

multi-server support

NO, as of release 0.5.x (later releases might)

Links

Homepage docs demoinstallation docs

servers managed

BIND, TinyDNS, MyDNS, PowerDNS, ?ProFtpd, Wuftpd, ?PureFtpd, sendmail, qmail, VirtualQMail, httpd, Apache 2/1.3, Tux

Install requires:

aptitude, webalizer, apache, mod_watch, proftpd, sendmail, MySQL, PHP

customers can:

update personal info, change passwd, set spam filtering

hosting company can:

domain user: add new users, aliases, subdomains, domain pointers and databases reseller user:add/modify domains server user:server admin can add/modify resellers, edit ?VirtualHost, DNS templates, restart services, monitor server usage, scripting, shell access, SSI, databases, mail, domains

Short notes

4 CP's: personal, domain, reseller, and server.

Webmin

License

BSD

Packages

deb:yes rpm:yes tarball:yes

multi-server support

No

Links

Homepage docs

servers managed

sendmail, postfix, WU-FTPD, BIND, Squid

Install requires:

Perl 5, Perl MD5 module, Slackware users must install descrypt.tgz

customers can:

mail forwarding/password

hosting company can:

create/edit/remove users, mail settings, server settings

Short notes

more admin-tool packed version of Usermin

Zpanel

License

GPL

Packages

available in zip and rar

multi-server support

Information coming soon

Links

Homepage Zpanel Support Forum demo

servers managed

Webserver, FTP, SMTP, POP, MySQL

Install requires:

PHP, Linux(SuSE,Debian, Fedora 2, FreeBSD, Mandrake, Redhat) or Windows(2000 Server/Advanced Server, 2003 Enterprise Server, XP)

customers can:

send private messages via messaging system

hosting company can:

file manager, billing history, server status/control

short notes

produced by phpBB group, Site is somewhat disorganized, demo link from main site is wrong, correct URL: http://zee-way.com/cpanel supports PHP and MySQL

Credits/Sources

GPLHost.com , Debian-ISP , ,Google , GNUtransfer